Shook Partner and retired Jackson County Circuit Judge Jon Gray has earned the 2018 Raymond Pace Alexander Award, presented annually by the National Bar Association Judicial Council (NBAJC) to recognize extraordinary contributions to judicial advocacy and to humanity. The council presented the award to Gray at the Thurgood Marshall Luncheon in New Orleans on July 31, 2018.

“It’s humbling to be recognized at a national level among my peers for our unwavering commitment to a fair and impartial judiciary,” said Gray.

The Judicial Council established the award to honor the memory of Judge Raymond Pace Alexander, who served as President of the National Bar Association (1929 and 1930), was the first black judge for the Court of Common Pleas of Pennsylvania (1959-1974) and was a founding member of the NBA Judicial Council.

Gray served as a circuit judge for the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit of Missouri for 20 years and is the past chair of the NBAJC, 2007-2008. Earlier this year, Gray was honored by Missouri Lawyers Weekly with the Icon Award for his notable and sustained success and leadership both within and beyond the field of law.